Garment finishing apparatus



Aug. 1, 1967 w. c. GLOVER, JR

GARMENT FINI SHING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 19, 1965INVENTOR. WILLIAM C. GLOVER TR.

ATTORNEYS g- 1967 w. c. GLOVER, JR 3,333,747

GARMENT FIN I SHING APPARATUS Filed April 19, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. WILL/AM c. GLOVER .TR. 6

ATTORNEYS Aug. 1, 1967 w. c. GLOVER, JR

GARMENT FINISHING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 19, 1965 ii hlw 1 6 3 4| 1 .w B 2 7. m 4 o Z 1 O 1 I B .l J G A S L E o q, p 6 4 1.{av M Q ma a L 1, 00 44 3 H 7 1 Ma m ll 0 1 11 3 O m 6 '4 an n.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,333,747 GARMENT FINISHING APPARATUSWilliam C. Glover, Jr., 12128 E. 49th St., Independence, Mo. 64050 FiledApr. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 449,087 11 Claims. (Cl. 223-70) This inventionrelates to garment finishing apparatus, and more particularly to anapparatus wherein air, steam and air and steam are discharged inside ofa garment in the shaping and forming of the garment.

The principal objects of the'present invention are to provide anapparatus with a support over which a garment is draped with adistributor positioned therein for delivery and distribution of fluidpressure within the garment to form and shape same by said fluid; toprovide such a structure in the form of a machine having a skeletonframe upon which a flexible bag or form is mounted wherein said bag issubstantially non-expansible with areas of different permeabilitywhereby fluid discharged therein is selectively distributed in a garmentdraped thereover; to provide such a structure wherein the skeleton frameis rotatably mounted on a base having a high volume fluid supply fordischarging upwardly from the base into the bag on the frame; to providesuch a structure with heating means located in the base below the framefor heating the fluid as it passes therethrough; to provide such astructure wherein the fluid is air and the heating means is by finnedsteam coils; to provide such a structure with a steam separator-receiverand delivery nozzle selectively connected thereto for directingsubstantially condensation-free steam upwardly and outwardly from acentral location adjacent the lower end of the bag whereby the steaminduces a flow of air for mixing therewith; to provide such an apparatuswith easily actuated positive garment clamps and backing members forholding the front and back of a garment being finished; to provide suchan apparatus with a collar form adapted to apply pressure rearwardly onthe collar or neck portion of the garment being finished; and to providea garment finishing apparatus that is economical to manufacture,eflicient in operation for garments of various sizes and shapes whereinthe forming and shaping is performed by fluid pressure, heat and steam.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein are set forth by Way of illustration and examplecertain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a garment finishing apparatus embodyingthe features of the present invention and having a garment positionedthereon.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a garment finishing apparatus, thebag thereon, With portions broken away to illustrate structure under thebag.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 2,parts being broken away and in section to reveal details ofconstruction.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail section through the latch of the collarsupport.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view through a garment clampoperating arm.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view through the lower portion of theapparatus showing the heating coils and steam delivery structure.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the upper portionof the skeleton frame taken on the line 7-7, FIG. 3, and particularlyillustrating the adjustable shoulder support structure.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view through the upper portion of theframe and collar support.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

The reference numeral 1 generally designates a garment finishingapparatus which includes a fluid distributor 2 surrounding a skeletonframe 3 rotatably supported on a base 4. The base 4 preferably is ahollow structure that includes a blower housing 5 which communicatesthrough a discharge duct 6 with one side of a chamber portion 7 locatedbelow the frame 3. The blower (not shown) within the housing 5 is sodisposed as to draw air through an inlet 8 and direct said air into theduct 6 and interior of the portion 7 and through a suitable apparatus 9for heating the air as it moves upwardly through an outlet opening 10 inthe top of the base portion 7. A suitable control panel 11 is preferablymounted on the housing 5 in connection with electrical controls, aslater described. The duct 6 and base portion 7 have a bottom wall 12 onwhich is suitably secured an upstanding wall 13 of the base portion 7,said wall having its upper end terminating in a circular peripheral edge14.

A steam separator-receiver 15 is mounted in the base portion 7substantially centrally relative to the wall 13. The separator-receiveris a tank-like structure which, in the illustrated structure, has wallsdefining a cup-like member 16 having an outwardly directed flange 17 atthe upper end with the opening at said end closed by a cover 18 securedthereon by suitable fastening devices 19. Arms 20 extend radiallyoutwardly from the flange 17 and are secured to the wall 13 to supportthe separator-receiver in the base portion 7.

The space between the periphery of the flange 17 and the wall 13 formsan air passage 21 and located in said passage is the heating apparatus 9which, in the illustrated structure, is a finned coil 22 arranged in aspiral about the flange 17 of the steam separator and in a single planewhereby air passing through the passage 21 moves between the fins of thecoil. In the structure illustrated, steam is directed to the coil 22 andseparator-receiver 15 from a suitable source (not shown) by a supplypipe 23 which may include a trap 24, the pipe 23 entering the base andhaving communication with the coil 22 for flow of steam therethrough.Also,-there is delivery of steam as through a connection 25 to the bodyor cup portion 16 of the separator-receiver 15. A return line 26 fromthe coil and separator-receiver extends outwardly of the base and isconnected through a valved line 27 to a hose 28 which may lead to asteam gun 29 shown supported in FIG. 2 on a hanger 30 on the upper endof a post 31 and at one side of and adjacent the blower housing 5.

The cover 18 of the separator-receiver 15 has a socket 32 in which ismouned a steam nozzle 33 for directing steam upwardly and outwardly inthe lower part of the distributor 2. The nozzle illustrated includes anupstanding hollow member 34 having a closed lower end 34' and an openupper end 35. In the structure illustrated, the nozzle member 34 isthreaded into a socket 32 of the cover 18 and in heat transfer relationthereto whereby said nozzle is heated by the separator-receiver 15. Anupstanding nozzle tube 36 smaller than the bore of the hollow member 34is mounted therein and extends upwardly therefrom in coaxial relationthereto. Spacer lugs 37 are spaced around the lower end portion of thetube 36 and engage the inner surface 38 of the member 34 to hold thewalls thereof in spaced relation and provide a passage 39 for steam fromwithin the member 34 to move by the tube and spacers 39 for dischargeupwardly from an open upper end of the hollow member 34. In thestructure illustrated, a collar 40 is slidable on the tube 36 and issecured in selected spaced relation from the open end 35 of the member34 by suitable fasteners such as a set screw 41, said collar serving asa deflector for the steam issuing through the open end 35 so as todirect said steam outwardly and upwardly as later described. vThe tube36 has a bore 42 that extends upwardly from an open lower end 42' tosubstantially beyond the collar 40 with a plurality of spaced apertures43 being arranged above the collar for directing some steam radiallyfrom said tube member 36. The upper end of the tube member 36 terminatesas at 36 with the upper end of the bore 42 being closed so any steam inthe bore 42 must issue through the apertures 43. Steam from theseparator-receiver 15 is delivered by a line 44 from the upper part ofsaid receiver 15 to the lower part of the hollow member 34, flow throughsaid line 44 being controlled by a valve 45 preferably a solenoid orelectric operated valve. The line 44 is short and it and the valve areadjacent to and heated by the steam coil 22 so as to reduce or preventcondensation of steam delivered to the nozzle 33.

The skeleton frame 3 includes an annular band 46 provided at its loweredge with an outwardly extending annular flange 47 that substantiallyrests on the edge 14 of the wall 13 of the base. The band 46 is providedwith a transverse brace bar 48 that has ends secured to the band and hasan axial bore 49 that rotatably receives thehollow member 34 when theframe 3 is positioned on the base. Diametrically opposed generallyupright members 50 and 51 have their lower ends secured to the band 46in circumferentially spaced relation to the bar 48, the upper ends ofsaid frame members 50 and 51 each being fixed to a shoulder member orpiece 52 that is sufficiently above the band 46 as to accommodate thelength of any garment to be finished on the apparatus. In the structureillustrated, the frame strips 50 and 51 preferably are formed of sheetmetal presenting substantially flat faces 53 outwardly thereof andhaving side flanges 54 extending inwardly to provide stiffness for saidmembers. The frame members 50 and 51 are connected substantially midwaythe height thereof by channel-shaped transverse braces 55 with a barmember 56 secured to the lower portion of said braces and having a bore57 forming a bearing engaging the upper end portion of the tube 36 tocooperate with the bar 48 and the mounting of the flange 47 relative tothe edge 14 of the base to rotatably support the frame 3. Below thebrace structure 55, a generally circular brace ring 58 is secured to theframe members 50 and 51 to add further rigidity to the structure.

The shoulder piece 52 has opposed walls 59 extending downwardly from atop wall 60, said opposed walls being secured to the upper ends of themembers 50 and 51 whereby the shoulder piece extends laterally outwardlytherefrom to form central shoulder portions that carry a pair of opposedshoulder extensions 61 connected as at 62 to the upper ends of arms 63,the lower ends of said arms being pivotally mounted as at 64 of abracket 65 that is secured to the transverse brace members 55. The innerend portions of the extensions 61 are slidably mounted as at 66 underthe walls 59 and the top wall portion 60 that slope outwardly andlaterally from the central portion as at 67 whereby the shoulderextensions may be moved inwardly and outwardly by suitable controlmechanism. In the illustrated structure, the control mechanism consistsof a pair of links 68 pivotally connected to the arms 63 midway thelength thereof as at 69 with the inner ends of said links connected to aslide 70 mounted on a tubular member 71 that has its upper end fixed tothe shoulder piece top wall 60 and depends therefrom. The slide isprovided with a pin or bolt 72 that extends through a slot 73 in thetube and is connected to the lower end of the rod 74 that extendsupwardly through a bore 75 in the top wall 67 and through a neck orcollar support 76 to present an upper end for grasping in actuating therod. A handle or knob 77 is mounted on the upper end of the rod formoving said rod vertically with downward movement causing the links 68to force the arms 63 outwardly and move the shoulder extensions 61outwardly as shown in FIG. 7, upward movement of the rod and knobswinging the arms 63 inwardly to retract the shoulder extensions 61. Aresilient member 78 is preferably interposed between the links 68' andthe slides 70 to hold the slide against the tube 71 and provide afriction that tends to hold the mechanism and the shoulder extensions 61in selected position.

The collar support 76 preferably is a hollow member that presents a wall79 with a contour or outer rear surface that would simulate the contourof the neck of a person. The lower rear of the collar support 76 ispivotally mounted as by hinge members 80 to the top wall 60 of theshoulder piece and may be secured in a forward position by means of asuitable latch such as a spring member 81 with rollers 82 engagedtherewith at the forward end of the shoulder piece and collar support,as illustrated in FIG. 8. Resilient means such as springs 83 between theshoulder piece 52 and collar support 76 urge the collar support in ahinging movement upwardly and rearwardly when the latch is released. Inthe forward position, the rear surface of the wall 79 inclines forwardlyand, when released, the collar support hinges rearwardly to applypressure to the collar to support same in its natural position.

A pair of lamps 85 and 86 are mounted for swinging movement toward andaway from the frame strips 50 and 51 respectively. A lever 87 withclamping means 88- is swingably mounted on a bracket 89 fixed to andradially of the band 46 and flange 47. The lever 87 has a leaf spring 90with its lower end secured as at 91 to the lever and its upper endsecured to the clamp means 85 .as at 92 whereby the clamp member isswingably and resiliently connected to the lever and is movable thereby.The lever 87 is hollow and slidably mounted therein is a rod 93 having ahand grip 94 at the upper end and a detent or abutment portion 95 at thelower end, said detent being adapted to engage a stop 96 adjustablymounted on the bracket 89 when the lever is swung inwardly to positionthe clamp member 85 in clamping position. Longitudinal movement of therod 93 is limited by a stop pin 97 in said rod and extending in a slot98 in the lever. The rod may be urged downwardly by a spring or thelike; however, the weight of the rod is usually suflicient to urge samedownwardly to engage movement limiting members. In the illustratedstructure, the stop 96 is the end of a screw 100 threadedly mounted inan extension 102 arranged on the bracket 89. Also mounted thereon 'is anadjustable abutment or screw 103 for limiting outward swinging movementof the lever. When the clamp member is swung outwardly, the weightthereof tends to hold it outwardly until it is manually moved inwardlyto clamping position. A similar construction is provided for mountingthe clamp 86 except only that the mounting bracket therefor comparableto the bracket 89 and designated 104 is in diametrically opposedrelation to the bracket 89.

The bag distributor 2 encloses the skeleton frame 3 and is preferablyformed of a flexible fabric with the lower or skirt portion 105 ofsuitable fabric such as closely woven nylon to have limitedpermeability. Connected to the skirt approximately at the waist portionas at 106 is an upper portion 107 of the bag preferably formed of anopen mesh flexible cloth to present little resistance to flow of fluidtherethrough. The bag distributor is preferably non-expansible and isnot inflated to form the garment. Such forming is performed by fluidpressure and flow through the distributor into the upper portion of thegarment and then some flow down between the garment and skirt portion ofthe bag. Arranged over the shoulder piece 52 under the mesh portion 107of the bag is a saddle like cloth member 108 of little or nopermeability. The member 108 is positioned over the shoulder piece andthen the bag 2 is arranged over the frame 3 and shoulder piece 52 withthe upper or open end of said bag provided with a portion 109 engagingaround the collar support. The bag hangs down from the shoulder pieceand has its lower end secured as by a drawstring 110 to the band 46. Itis preferred that fabric such as a strip 111 of toweling be secured tothe ring 58 and extend downwardly therefrom within the lower portion ofthe bag to the part thereof secured to the band 46, said toweling striptending to catch water or condensation, if any, from the steam thatmight be discharged from the orifices of the nozzle 33 therefor.

In using a garment finishing apparatus constructed as described andsupplied with steam, a garment, for example a coat 112, is positionedover the bag with the shoulders 113 supported on the lateral portions ofthe shoulder piece 52. The knob 77 is grasped and forced downwardly toswing the shoulder extensions 61 outwardly to a desired position foradequate support of the garment. With the garment properly positioned,the walls of the bag, both the mesh and the skirt portion, do notcontact the garment except in that portion between the garment and theshoulder piece 52 and shoulder extensions 61. The clamp 86 is then movedinto engagement with the rear portion of the garment to clamp sameagainst the frame member 51. The lever 87 is manipulated by swingingsame toward the garment to move the clamping member 85 into position toclamp the forward or fly portion of the garment against the frame member50, the lever being moved until the detent or lower end 95 moves to theend of and is engaged with the stop 96 whereby the pressure of the clampmember 85 on the garment holds the lever in position.

Suitable electrical circuitry and controls are arranged in a controlpanel 11 and foot pedals 114 and 115 are connected in the circuitry tocontrol the blower and also the supply of steam and thereby control theapplication of fluid pressure to the interior of the bag distributor 2.With the garment in position, the operator may depress the pedal 114which closes the circuit to the blower energizing the motor thereofwhereby air is delivered by the blower into the base portion 7 and thenpasses up inside of the bag 2 with a small quantity of the air passingout through the skirt portion 105 of the bag 2. The air moves up in thebag and passes out through the mesh portion 107 into the interior of thegarment ballooning same outwardly with some of the air passing throughthe fabric of the garment and the remainder passing downwardly betweenthe skirt of the garment and the skirt portion 105 of the bag 2 so as tohold the garment in outwardly inflated position. It is preferred thatconventional Spreaders 116 be used in the sleeves of the garment toshape same and also substantially close the lower ends so only a smallportion of the air will pass therethrough.

This first operation in finishing a garment in place on the apparatus isto depress a pedal 115 to complete a circuit end energize a solenoidvalve 45 in the short steam line 44 that extends from the top of thechamber in the separator-receiver 15 to the interior of the hollowmember 34 below the lower end of the tube 36. With this arrangement, theheat from the heating coil and the steam tends to maintain theseparator-receiver hot at all times and thereby prevent condensation ofthe steam therein. If any condensation should collect, it would be atthe bottom of the chamber so that substantially dry steam passes intothe line 44 controlled by the valve 45. Also, the valve and this ductare positioned so that any condensation collecting therein would drainback into the separator, and they are also maintained in heatedcondition by the heating coils 22 so as to eliminate condensationtherein. Also, the member 34 being mounted on the separator ismaintained in heated condition whereby steam directed therein is notreadily condensed, thereby the steam is discharged through the nozzle 33and orifices with a substantial absence of water from condensation. Withthe valve 45 open, steam is discharged from the open end 35 of member 34and directed outwardly and upwardly in the bag 2 and some steam isdischarged through the apertures 43. However, the majority of the steamis discharged in such a manner and such velocity in the inclinedupwardly direction that it induces a flow of air through the stationaryblower and base and upwardly 6 into the bag wherebythe quantity of airand steam are such that while the steam is steaming the garment it isalso ballooned outwardly to its natural shape by the fluid pressureinside of the garment and exteriorly of the bag, the bag serving as adistributor to assure the fluid being discharged therefrom in the properpositions of the garment to keep same distended.

After steaming of the garment, the steam valve solenoid is de-energizedso that said valve 45 closes, shutting off the steam to the nozzle 33.Then the pedal 114 is pressed or the blower otherwise energized to againblow air by the heated coils 22 to heat said air to continue thedistention of the garment while drying same. This shapes the garment toits natural size and after completion of the operation the blower isstopped, the hand grips 94 raised to release the levers 87 and theclamping members '85 and 86 whereby they can be swung outwardly and thenthe garment is removed from the apparatus.

It is not necessary to blow out the bag distributor 3 and adjust same soon distention it will not stretch the garment thereon. The bagdistributor is always smaller than the garment and pressure of fluid inthe bag does not expand same into shaping enagement with the garment.The fluid pressure alone shapes the garment. Therefore, instead of usingair to blow out the bag for fitting the garment, the garment is placedon the apparatus and then steam is applied. Also, the upward flow of thesteam increases the flow volume by inducing flow of air into the bag andthis mixture of the air at ambient temperatures improves the quality ofthe steam for dissolving more wrinkles due to humidity increase. Also,the upward directional flow of the steam prevents steam from backing upand condensing in the base and blower.

It is to be understood that any suitable controls for the blower andsteam valve including sequential controls could be utilized instead ofindividual manual controls.

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described oneform of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specific form orarrangement of parts herein described and shOWn except insofar as suchlimitations are included in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a garment finisher,

(a) a hollow base with a top opening forming an air passage,

(b) a frame mounted on said base and extending upwardly therefrom andadapted to have a garment draped thereover,

(c) a fabric bag surrounding said frame for receiving a garmentthereover, said bag of non-expansible material and having a waistportion with said bag above said waist portion being of a fabric mesh topresent substantially little resistance to fluid flow therethrough andthe walls of the bag portion below the.

waist being a closely woven fabric having low fluid permeability,

(d) a blower means having communication with the base and operative todeliver air under pressure therethrough and upwardly into the bag andthrough the fabric mesh into a garment thereover for downward flowbetween the garment and the bag below the waist to balloon and shape thegarment, said blower means having an open inlet with an absence ofvalves thereby permitting air movement through said blower means whennon-operating,

(e) a steam nozzle within the lower portiton of said bag and operativeto discharge steam in upwardly inclined relation in the bag portionhaving low fluid permeability whereby said steam discharge in said bagportion induces a flow of air through the blower and base for mixturewith the steam moving up in the bag.

2. In a garment finisher,

(a) a hollow base with a passage,

(b) a frame mounted on said base and extending upwardly therefrom andadapted to have a garment draped thereover,

(c) a fabric bag surrounding said frame for receiving a garmentthereover, said bag being of non-expansible material and having a waistportion with said bag above said waist portion being of a fabric mesh topresent substantially little resistance to fluid flow therethrough andthe walls of the bag portion below the waist being a closely wovenfabric having low fluid permeability,

(d) a blower means having communication with the base and operative todeliver air under pressure therethrough and upwardly into the bag andthrough the fabric mesh thereof into a garment thereover for downwardflow between the garment and the bag below the waist to balloon andshape the garment,

(e) said frame having upstanding opposed backing members,

(f) a bracket at the lower portion of the frame,

(g) a lever pivotally mounted on said bracket,

(h) a clamp member swingably and resiliently carried by said lever andmovable thereby into clamping relation relative to the frame backingmember,

(i) a rod movable longitudinally of said lever and resiliently urgedtoward said bracket,

(j) and means on said bracket engageable by said rod when the lever isin clamping position to retain said lever against retractive movement.

3. In a garment finisher,

(a) a hollow base with a top opening forming an air passage,

(b) a frame mounted on said base and extending upwardly therefrom,

(c) an open bottom fabric bag surrounding said frame for receiving agarment thereover, said bag having a waist portion being such as topresent substantially little resistance to fluid flow therethrough andthe bag portion below the waist having low permeability, said openbottom having communication with said base top opening,

((1) a blower means having communication with the base and operative todeliver air under pressure therethrough and into the bag and upwardlytherein and through the bag portion above the waist into the garmentthereover for flow between said garment and bag, said blower meanshaving an open inlet with an absence of valves thereby permitting airmovement therethrough when nonoperating,

(e) heating means in the base adjacent said top opening and in the pathof the air passing therethrough whereby said air moves in heat transferrelation to said heating means,

(f) a steam separator-receiver in said base adjacent said heating means,

(g) a steam nozzle extending into the lower portion of said bag andoperating to discharge steam in upwardly inclined relation theretowhereby said steam discharge in said bag portion induces a flow of airthrough the blower and base and heating means which air mixes with thesteam moving up in the bag,

(h) and a valve controlled conduit connecting the upper portion of thesteam separator-receiver to said nozzle for flow of steam from saidupper portion to said nozzle.

4. In a garment finisher,

(a) a hollow base with a top opening forming an air passage,

(b) a frame mounted on said base and extending upwardly therefrom,

(c) an open bottom fabric bag surrounding said frame for receiving agarment thereover, said bag being of substantially non-expansiblematerial and having a waist with said bag above said waist portion beingtop opening forming an air of a fabric mesh to present substantiallylittle resistance to fluid flow therethrough and the bag portion belowthe waist being a closely woven fabric having low permeability, saidopen bottom having communication with said base top opening,

((1) a blower means having communication with the base and operative todeliver air under pressure therethrough and into the bag and upwardlytherein and through the bag portion above the waist into the garmentthereover for flow between said garment and bag, said blower meanshaving an open inlet with an absence of valves thereby permitting airmovement therethrough when nonoperating,

(e) heating means in the base adjacent said opening and in the path ofair passing therethrough whereby said air moves in heat transferrelation to said heating means,

(f) a steam separator-receiver in said base adjacent said heating means,

(g) a steam nozzle extending into the lower portion of said bag andoperating to discharge steam in upwardly inclined relation theretowhereby said steam discharge in said bag portion induces a flow of airthrough the blower and base and heating means which air mixes with thesteam moving up in the (h) and a valve controlled conduit connecting theupper portion of the steam separator-receiver to said nozzle for flow ofsteam from said upper portion to said nozzle, said valve controlledconduit being positioned adjacent said heating means to receive heattherefrom.

5. In a garment finisher as set forth in claim 4 wherein the heatingmeans is a finned steam coil surrounding and extending outwardly fromsaid steam separator in the path of air moving therearound and saidvalve and steam conduit being positioned above said coil in the path ofthe heated air.

6. In a garment finisher,

(a) a hollow base with a top opening forming an air passage,

(b) a frame mounted on said base and extending upwardly there-from,

(c) an open bottom fabric bag surrounding said frame for receiving agarment thereover, said bag being of substantially non-expansiblematerial and having a waist portion with said bag above said waistportion being of a fabric mesh to present substantially little,

resistance to fluid flow therethrough and the bag portion below thewaist being a closely woven fabric having low permeability, said openbottom having communication with said base top opening,

(d) a blower means having eomunication with the base and operative todeliver air under pressure therethrough and into the bag and throughsaid bag portion above the waist for distribution into a garmentthereover,

(e) heating means in the base whereby the air passing therethroughwhereby said air moves in heat transfer relation to said heating means,

(f) a steam separator-receiver in said base adjacent said heating means,

(g) a steam nozzle mounted on said separator-receiver and extendingupwardly therefrom into said bag to direct steam upwardly therein, theupward flow of steam drawing air through the base and blower means formixture with said steam,

(h) a valve controlled conduit for flow of steam from the upper portionof the steam separator-receiver to said nozzle and positioned adjacentsaid heating means to receive heat therefrom, I

(i) said frame having upstanding opposed backing members,

(j) means rotatably mounting the frame on said base,

(k) a bracket extending radially from and fixed to the lower portion ofsaid frame,

(l) a lever pivotally mounted on said bracket and movable with saidframe,

(In) a clamp member swingably and resiliently carried by said lever andmovable thereby into clamping relation relative to a frame backingmember,

(n) a rod movable longitudinally of said lever and resiliently urgedtoward said bracket,

() and adjustable means on said bracket engageable by said rod when thelever is in clamping position to retain said lever against retractivemovement and vary the clamping pressure.

7. In a garment finisher,

(a) a hollow base with a top opening forming an air passage,

(b) a frame mounted on said base and extending upwardly therefrom andadapted to have a garment draped thereover,

(c) said frame including a shoulder piece having a top wall,

(d) a collar support on said top wall,

(e) means hingedly connecting the collar support to said top wall forupward and outward swinging movement relative thereto,

(f) resilient means urging said collar support away from said top wallto apply pressure on a collar of a garment mounted on the frame,

(g) a fabric bag surrounding said frame for receiving a garmentthereover, said bag being of nonexpansible material and having a waistportion with said bag above said waist portion being of a fabric mesh topresent substantially little resistance to fluid flow therethrough andthe walls of the bag portion below the waist being a closely wovenfabric having low fluid permeability,

(h) and a blower means having communication with the base and operativeto deliver air under pressure therethrough and upwardly into the bag andthrough the fabric mesh thereof into a garment thereover for downwardflow between the garment and the bag below the waist to balloon andshape the garment.

8. A garment finisher as set forth in claim 7 and including,

(a) latch means on the collar support and top wall engageable forretaining the collar support against swinging movement relative to saidtop wall.

9. In a garment finisher,

(a) a hollow base with a top opening forming an air passage,

(b) a frame mounted on said base and extending upwardly therefrom,

(c) said frame including a shoulder piece having a top wall,

(d) a collar support on said top wall,

(e) means hingedly connecting the collar support to said top wall forupward and outward swinging movement relative thereto,

(f) resilient means urging said collar support away from said top wallto apply pressure on a collar of a garment mounted on the frame,

(g) means on the collar support and top wall engageable for retainingthe collar support against swinging movement relative to said top wall,

(h) an open bottom fabric bag surrounding said frame for receiving agarment thereover, said bag being of substantially non-expansiblematerial and having a waist portion with said bag above said waistportion being of a fabric mesh to present substantially littleresistance to fluid flow therethrough and the bag portion below thewaist being a closely woven fabric having low permeability, said openbottom having communication with said base top opening,

(i) a blower means having communication with the base and operative todeliver air under pressure therethrough and into the bag and throughsaid bag 10 portion above the waist for distribution into a garmentthereover,

(j) heating means in the base whereby the air passing therethroughwhereby said air moves in heat transfer relation to said heating means,

(k) a steam separator-receiver in said base adjacent said heating means,

(1) a steam nozzle mounted on said separator-receiver and extendingupwardly therefrom into said bag to direct steam upwardly therein, theupward flow of steam drawing air through the base and blower means formixture with said steam,

(m) and a valve controlled conduit for flow of steam from the upperportion of the steam separatorreceiver to said nozzle and positionedadjacent said heating means to receive heat therefrom.

10. In a garment finisher,

(a) a hollow base with a top opening forming an air passage,

(b) a frame mounted on said base and extending upwardly therefrom,

(c) said frame including a shoulder piece having a top wall and shoulderextensions movably mounted relative thereto,

(d) means supporting the extensions and operable to move same betweenextending and retracted position,

(e) a collar support on said top wall,

(f) means hingedtly connecting the collar support to said top wallforrupward and outward swinging movement relative thereto,

(g) resilient means urging said collar support away from said top wallto apply pressure on a collar of a garment mounted on the frame,

(h) latch means on the collar support and top wall engageable forretaining the collar support against swinging movement relative to saidtop wall,

(i) an open bottom fabric bag surrounding said frame for receiving agarment thereover, said bag being of substantially non-expansiblematerial and having a waist portion with said bag above said waistportion being of a fabric mesh to present substantially littleresistance to fluid flow therethrough and the bag portion below thewaist being a closely woven fabric having low permeability, said openbottom having communication with said base top opening,

(j) a blower means having communication with the base and operative todeliver air under pressure therethrough and into the bag and throughsaid bag portion above the waist for distribution into a garmentthereover,

(k) heating means in the base whereby the air passing therethroughwhereby said air moves in heat transfer relation to said heating means,

(1) a steam separator-receiver in said base adjacent said heating means,

(m) a steam nozzle mounted on said separatorreceiver and extendingupwardly therefrom into said bag to direct steam upwardly therein, theupward flow of steam drawing air through the base and blower means formixture with said steam,

(n) and a valve controlled conduit for flow of steam from the upperportion of the steam separatorreceiver to said nozzle and positionedadjacent said heating means to receive heat therefrom.

11. In a garment finisher,

(a) a hollow base having an inlet and an upward opening air passage,

(b) a frame mounted on said base above said passage for supporting afluid pressure distributing bag in communication with said passage, saidbag having a portion of low permeability extending upwardly fromadjacent said base,

(c) a steam separator-receiver in said base and having 11' a source ofsuperheated steam, said separatorreceiver having a top cover closing thechamber in said receiver,

((1) nozzle means mounted on said top cover and extending upwardlythrough said passage,

(e) a steam flow pipe communicating the upper portion of theseparator-receiver chamber with said nozzle,

(f) valve means above said separator-receiver and in said flow pipe forcontrolling the delivery of steam from the separator-receiver to saidnozzle,

g) and means on said nozzle directing a portion of the steam deliveredthereby circumferentially inclined outwardly and upwardly in said bagand cooperating with the low permeability portion thereof to induce aflow of air from said base inlet through said passage for increasedfluid volume distributed by the bag into a garment thereover.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1938 Lendle 223-'70 7/ 1944Matthews et a1 223-70 8/ 1947 Lendle 22370 6/ 1948 Fitpold 223-67 3/1952 Maurer 223-70 6/1954 Richterkessing 22370 2/ 1956 Glover 223708/1960 Paris 22367 1/1961 Paris 22367 7/ 1966 Killey 22367 FOREIGNPATENTS 8/1957 France.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. G. V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A GARMENT FINISHER, (A) A HOLLOW BASE WITH A TOP OPENING FORMIN ANAIR PASSAGE, (B) A FRAME MOUNTED ON SAID BASE AND EXTENDING UPWARDLYTHEREFROM AND ADAPTED TO HAVE A GARMENT DRAPED THEREOVER, (C) A FABRICBAG SURROUNDING SAID FRAME FOR RECEIVING A GARMENT THEREOVER, SAID BAGOF NON-EXPANSIBLE MATERIAL AND HAVING A WAIST PORTION WITH SAID BAGABOVE SAID WAIST PORTION BEING OF A FABRIC MESH TO PRESENT SUBSTANTIALLYLITTLE RESISTANCE TO FLUID FLOW THERETHROUGH AND THE WALLS OF THE BAGPORTION BELOW THE WAIST BEING A CLOSELY WOVEN FABRIC HAVING LOW FLUIDPERMEABILITY, (D) A BLOWER MEANS HAVING COMMUNICATION WITH THE BASE ANDOPERATIVE TO DELIVER AIR UNDER PRESSURE THERETHROUGH AND UPWAEDLY INTOTHE BAG AD THROUGH THE FABRIC MESH INTO A GARMENT THEREOVER FOR DOWN-